Founding Friendships
by fellowship of the freaks
Summary: A story set in the time of the hogwarts founders. mystery, action adventure and more!
1. Home sweet Hogwarts

**CHAPTER 1:**

"Rhiannon! Hurry the thestral's waiting!" a middle aged, raven-haired man called across the dark and deserted stone courtyard.

"Coming Papa!" the young woman stumbled out of the dark doorway at the foot of the tower, heavy trunk in hand. "Why oh why! Do I have to leave in the middle of the night, stupid muggles, I'm cold!" she grumbled shrinking the trunk she carried down and placing it on the withers of the waiting beast, covered from muggle eyes by the dark moonless night.

"I love you Papa, take care. Say goodbye to Keith for me." Rhiannon said hugging her father tightly before mounting.

"I love you to. Have a fun 5th year at school, owl me if anything happens and I'll see you next summer." He replied patting her leg before grinning, "Now get going."

"Bye Papa!" she cried, as the thestral lifted off, she leaned down and whispered in its ear, "Lets go to Hogwarts."

"Athena, that cursed beast has arrived." A deep voice bellowed across the still dark camp.

"Just a minute Da!" Athena cried, pulling her long dark hair back into a tight braid and sheathing her twin daggers. She grabbed her trunk, shrunk it, and ran to where the thestral was waiting.

"Good luck with the attack Da!" Athena said, hugging the dark haired man who'd called; which was quite a feat for her 5 foot 1 frame as he was nearly as tall as the beast beside him, she'd had to jump to hug him properly.

"Och, who needs luck?" he replied with a grin as he watched his daughter mount smoothly, "Have fun at school my bairn."

"I will." she replied before whistling to an eagle owl that landed upon her arm, she whispered "to Hogwarts!" as the beast took off, "See you next summer Da! Leave some muggles for me!" she cried as he father waved her away from outside his tent.

"Thestral a-hoi! Seletha get your buttocks moving!" a cranky voice called across the wharf.

"I'm coming!" the tall girl called, skidding across the slimy stones in the pre-dawn light, towards the waiting beast and her cranky grandmother.

"Remember to honour the blood of your family, Seletha, and do the memory of your parents proud." The woman snapped as the 15 year old girl hoisted herself and her miniaturized trunk onto the beast.

"Yes Cranac, I will." She drawled before ordering the airborne thestral to Hogwarts. "Yeah honour my raping, pillaging father my toosh." She muttered darkly as she flew away, the proposition of another school year away from Cranac snapping life into her cool blue eyes for the first time in months.

"Tristan, collect your things, its time to leave." The tall blonde woman strode into the turret room.

"Yes mother, I'm almost done." The young fair-haired man replied, his hazel eyes lifting to meet with his mothers matching ones as he pulled out his invisibility cloak. He shrunk the trunk beside him and pulled out a broomstick that hovered in the air.

"I don't know why you're going to fly that contraption Tristan." His mother sighed, "You're going to get yourself killed its not very good as far as balance goes, Nimua won't go near it, how is she going to get to Hogwarts?"

"Send her with the Boyden twins tomorrow, she doesn't mind thestrals." He replied kissing her cheek and mounting the broom, "I'll be fine, say good bye to Nehalennia and tell Gilbrid good luck with the training. I see you next summer, be careful."

"Alright. Be good." She replied patting his arm, "Now get going 'tis almost dawn."

"Bye Mam!" he replied, pulling his cloak over him, "See you next summer!" and with that he flew out the arched, gothic and North to Hogwarts.

Rhiannon arrived at the castle just after dawn, watching the sun rise over the Mountains and twinkling the tops of the towers, turning the water of the lake pink and gold, she had to admit that Hogwarts always looked its most beautiful at its first dawn. Only this year she was a day earlier.

She had received an owl from the school asking her, as usual, to purchase certain scrolls and materials for the next school year, but this year her letter had been somewhat heavier. Inside she'd found a silver prefect badge and a notice informing her she would be picked up to arrive at school on the second last day of Coll, rather than the last, so she could meet her fellow prefects and be assigned her duties. Her father had been proud and her best friends...had been killed in an attack over summer. Her heart saddened at the last thought, the Kilana twins, her last friends had been killed by an army wreaking havoc in Wales, her other friends had been killed earlier, she needed new people to spend time with at school.

Looking down as the thestral headed to land she spotted a group of students and their belongings waiting by the lake, the other prefects. As she landed she swiftly dismounted and let the thestral fly off into the forest.

"Hello Rhiannon!" a short blonde haired boy bounced over to her, looking like a two year old who'd been given a whole pot of honey.

"Hello Gareth." She replied cautiously, she wasn't too fond of her somewhat daft year mate, "What are you doing here?"

"I was made Hufflepuff prefect and so were you, obviously, I was hoping I'd get to work with you, not that I mind who I'm working with, I'm just thrilled to be here, this year is going to be fun!" he grinned manically when he paused to recover from one of his long, exited exclamations. Rhiannon managed a half smile.

"Splendid." She replied through a forced smile and she looked around to see who else was there.

Over by the lake the last year's prefects were talking amongst themselves, oblivious to the others. Near them she spotted two year mates. Ronald, a tall mousy haired ravenclaw with dazzling blue eyes, was talking, rather flirting, with a blonde bimbo from gryffindor called Celine.

Just to Rhiannon's right, Seletha, a slytherin 5th year, was leaning against her trunk, green cap pulled down over her blue eyes and brown curls. Just to her left Athena, their Ravenclaw counterpart, was sitting on a small boulder her long dark hair fell into the textbook open in her lap as her green eyes darted across the page. Beyond Athena's head Rhiannon could see a thestral land carrying Jarred, the new slytherin prefect. He had black hair, black eyes and a black heart as she remembered.

Rhiannon just noticed one person was missing, the new male Gryffindor prefect. She turned around to look before...

"WHACK!"

She went flying into the air before tumbling along the grass as an unseen object ran into her. She heard another body rolling near her and recognized the swearing, Tristan. Once her momentum slowed to a stop she hoisted herself off the floor and looked across to where Tristan was, she couldn't help but giggle

His clothes were disheveled and grass-stained and his broom was caught somewhere in the folds of his cloak. His trunk had bad-temperedly returned to normal size, its contents strewn across the dewy grass. A pair of under-garments had landed on his head rather comically and he looked bemused to say the least. "Are you alright Tristan?"

"Peachy." He replied good-humouredly, pulling the underwear off his head and summoning his belongings back into his trunk. "Umm...Rhiannon? Could you help me with this cloak?"

"Ok." She replied with a laugh as she disentangled him from the offending material as the others approached.

"That was amazing! You flew almost ten feet!" Athena cried running up to Rhiannon before turning sharply to Tristan, "And _you_ should be more careful. Someone could have been hurt."

"Yeah you could have actually hit a witch or a wizard instead of this mudblood cow." Drawled Jarred, the rest of the group stiffened.

Athena turned to him and jabbed him in the chest, "Listen up, sir. Pureblood, Half-blood and muggle born are all the same and if you can't get that through your thick skull and accept that then some of us may have to teach you a lesson." She stroked her dagger hilts longingly.

"I'm sorry but I'm here to represent slytherin's views and he may teach _you_ a lesson about blood, Half-caste." He snapped back.

"Only problem is that won't happen because the other founders don't share his view, which is the reason why we _all_ learn here." Rhiannon replied now seething on Athena's behalf.

"And sadly for you that's three quarters of the school's ruling body, and majority rules, so unless you have something else to say I suggest you go and learn some manners when it comes to ladies." Tristan replied coolly stepping protectively between Jarred and the girls, "Or do you only pick fights with women big shot?"

Jarred snarled in response and stalked away, Rhiannon swore she heard him mutter something about what you call women...She turned to Tristan, "You shouldn't make an enemy of him Tristan." She said softly watching Jarred's retreating back, "His views won't change by you snapping at him."

"His views won't change at all. He's a slimy slytherin, they're all rotten." Tristan replied darkly, and was promptly slapped.

"How can you say that? Have you even tried being friends with a slytherin? I have and I must say I valued their friendship higher than many friends in gryffindor and even my own house! My best friend's mother was slytherin's cousin and the nicest person you could ever meet." She snapped before turning to Seletha who was watching the scene with mild amusement. "Are you going to back me up in defending some of your house mates?"

Seletha smiled, "But you were doing such a good job. I thank you; it is true not all of us share slytherin and Jarred's opinion." She turned to Tristan, "I was raised by prejudiced purebloods, my grandmother is forever telling me to honour my blood..." her mouth twitched, "Honour a Viking wizard rapist and a failed town witch, what honour!" she snorted, "The way I figure honour comes from within, from something deeper than blood." The others nodded and Athena was about to reply when 2 witches and 2 wizards strode out from the entrance of the castle.

On the far right strode a broad shouldered, 6 foot 5, ginger haired, slab of muscle also known as Godric Gryffindor. His short curls had silvered by his temples as he passed 40 but his blue eyes still sparked with mischief and the enthusiasm for life he was famous for. He was wearing a yellow tunic, red kilt and a long ruby studded broadsword at his waist.

To his left walked a younger woman in her 30's who still had the auburn and blonde highlighted curls she was born with and soft brown eyes. She was the epitome of motherliness, though she had carried no children in her 5 foot 7 frame, she was a sweet as could be, she was of course Helga Hufflepuff.

Next to Helga was another witch in her thirties who instead had long straight brown hair pulled into a bun and bright blue eyes. Although only 5 foot 2 she was not a woman to annoy, as Rhiannon had found out in second year, brilliant and strict Rowena Ravenclaw was a driving force in the school.

Finally on the left was Salazar Slytherin; Slytherin's long black hair was streaked with grey as he was nearing his fiftieth year and his face was well lined. His dark eyes were cool and reserved to the point of being scary around his waist was a silver serpent belt carrying two wicked looking daggers.

Even though she had been studying at the school for 5 years Rhiannon couldn't help but think, and not for the first time, how such different people could exist so harmoniously and run a school. She guessed that the witches balanced out the wizards' tempers, without them she figured the school would not thrive.

The founders quickly reached the prefects and Rhiannon watched Gryffindor's mouth twitch as he spotted Ronald and Celina snogging rather passionately off to the right of the group. Gryffindor sent a pink love heart to hover over their heads flashing 'Aww' and 'smooch' at random intervals it only stopped when they paid attention to the founders.

"Alright now we have everyone's attention I'd like to welcome you all back to school for another year and hope that you all fulfil your prefect duties to your best of your abilities." Hufflepuff said.

"Your first duty is to assist the new students in settling into your house tomorrow, generate new passwords and distribute timetables." Ravenclaw went on.

"The password for the prefect's bathroom is 'lavender soap' and the meeting room is "gumbledroops." Gryffindor said.

"So if you each follow your house leader to your common rooms new passwords can be organized." Finished Slytherin unpleasantly.

The students nodded and trekked up the sloped lawn into the entrance hall, "See you three at dinner?" Rhiannon called as Hufflepuff led her house off.

"Of course!" the three replied before heading off in different directions.

Helga led the Hufflepuffs quickly through the corridors to the west wing of the castle before descending a flight of stairs toward the kitchens where she turned abruptly to her right, asking how their holidays had been. The students answered their surrogate mother enthusiastically and in no time at all they reached the stone tree statue that guarded their dorm. Helga pushed the knot in the trunk and a face appeared out of the trunk and faced Rhiannon.

"What shall the new password be dear?" she asked, it was most definitely a female voice. Rhiannon looked shocked before Helga gave her a nudge.

"Go on dear."

"Hazelthorn." Rhiannon said without thinking.

"Lovely." the tree replied bending its branches, "Hazelthorn it is, welcome home." The face disappeared and the steps lead up through the ceiling to the warm common room.


	2. Corridor Clash

**CHAPTER 2**

"ORDER!" Godric Gryffindor hollered at the students crowded in the corridor near the hall. The crowd, excepting 6 students at its center, looked up in fright, several Hufflepuff jumped, one even screamed. Godric Gryffindor when angry was not something to be meddled with.

They crowd split silently and slipped away to the mid winter feast in the hall, allowing Gryffindor full view of what had caused the distraction.

On the floor two students were wrestling violently in a sea of black robes with flashes of blonde hair appearing occasionally. Both wands lay unheeded on the floor along with another pair. Looking up he spotted two students circling each other throwing punches and a flurry of kicks on the closest's behalf. As they continued to circle he noted the Ravenclaw crest and long plaits of the witch nearest, and the Slytherin crest on the wizard.

Impressed at the girl despite himself Gryffindor began to think of the best way to split them up and to what could have provoked the fight. Considering a Slytherin was involved he had little guesses what that may be, 'stupid Slytherin, stupid prejudices, why does he has to teach his pupils that!' he seethed inwardly.

As he was contemplating he was suddenly distracted by a whimper across to his left, quickly followed by a hiss "How do you like that you mudblood cow."

Gryffindor turned sharply to see a small Hufflepuff witch pinned up against the wall by a slytherin wizard at least twice her size. The Slytherin was pummeling her mercilessly, Gryffindor's blood rose, against the prejudices, against hitting women and on behalf of his dear Helga.

"Your friends aren't going to get you out of this one mudblood, why don't you go back to that hovel you call a home and stay with the rest of the pigs." The slytherin jeered, punching for effect.

'Jarred, a prefect.' Gryffindor remembered belatedly. Jarred paused, the witch raised her eyes, filled with fury, she had no intention of backing down. 'Just like my dear Helga, she never lets Slytherin run her down. That's her new prefect, Rhiannon.' Godric mused and grinned as the witch reached for her wand.

"Tut tut. You weren't trying to curse me now?" Jarred drawled grabbing her arm and smashing it against the wall so hard even Godric heard the snap over the other fights, the girl winced and bit her lip, not giving Jarred the satisfaction of her crying out. Jarred pulled his hand back to break her nose and froze. Gryffindor had acted.

The others had been frozen as well, only Godric and Rhiannon were able to move. As she struggled out from Jarred's grasp, Godric looked to see who the other students were.

As he split the two on the floor her noted one's name was Casius Malfoy, a 6th year slytherin prefect, the other his own 5th year, Tristan. Both came away bloodied, Malfoy looked worst, his hair, normally perfectly arranged, was tousled, his nose bled freely and he had two black eyes. Tristan only sported a scratch from Malfoy's signet ring on his left cheek, inside Godric grinned, glad his student had beat Salazar's; outside he looked scarily stern.

Past them he saw the other two students. The wizard had just landed on the floor, his nose looked broken, the girl was pulling back from a kick. He recognized the witch quickly, she was Rowena's new prefect, her father was a warlord he remembered, 'that would explain the kicks.' On the floor was another Slytherin, 'Crabbe... I don't think I ever learnt his first name; Malfoy's little followers. Where's the other one?" Gryffindor mused before seeing him bound in the corner like a fly in a spider's web.

He looked at the students for a moment as Rhiannon finally divested herself of Nott. "Now from Master Nott's comments I think I can paint a seemly picture from this. However it is NOT permitted for fights to take place in this school, you as prefects each should all know this." His tone softened as he turned to Rhiannon, "I take it that there were insults about your heritage that your friends took offence to Miss Lupin, am I correct?"

"Y-yes sir. I-I tried t-to tell them not to b-but then J-Jarred pinned me a-and they kind of lost it after that." She stuttered, holding tightly to her arm.

Gryffindor unfroze the others and the all came over meekly, except Nott.

"She lies sir. They provoked Crabbe about the size of his nose, we were stopping them ganging up on him, the comments came from the heat of the moment sir. They just trying to get us in trouble because we're in Slytherin, they have no proof!" His drawl rose in fake anger.

She is NOT!" a voice snapped from down the corridor, a tall Slytherin girl stepped into sight, followed by professor Lovelock, the divinations teacher; she approached Gryffindor. "I saw the whole thing sir. Nott insulted Lupin about her birth before setting his cronies on her, her friends took the brunt of the cronies attack I tied up Goyle and went to look for a teacher to break it up."

Godric looked at Lockheart who nodded in agreement, and wondered what authority she had to tie up Goyle before he noticed the prefects badge 'Seletha, Slytherin's other new one, she doesn't seem bad for her house.'

"But Miss Black, we have been at school over 3 months and not a week has past where these people have not got into a fight of some sort, they need to learn their lesson." He replied calmly.

"But sir they HAVE." Godric raised his eyebrows in response, "Not Nott and Malfoy sir, but they others don't have much choice. If they all refused to fight they would have to watch their friend be beaten senseless or worse and not even God could ask them to do that. They always send someone for a teacher to break it up, last time it was Athena this time it was me." Seletha replied eloquently, ignoring, to her credit, the sullen whisper of 'traitor!' from Jarred.

Godric took this all in and found he words to be true, while also praising her courage, honesty and articulate manner. "Alright your point is conceded Miss Black; do try to avoid such confrontations though, it is not seemly for prefects to fight like savages in the corridors." He turned to the three grouchy looking Slytherin wizards, "And as for you three, you will accompany myself and Madame Lockheart to the headmasters' office, you need some lessons in manners. Now!"

Gryffindor and Professor Lockheart herded them down the corridor quickly, as they turned the corner Lockheart called back to the group, "Best head to the hospital wing dearies!"

Once they were gone Rhiannon let out a groan and slumped to the cold, stone floor. She remembered muttering her appreciation to Seletha and then nothing more.

"Shush! You'll wake her!" came the urgent whisper from near Rhiannon's bed.

"Well you woke _me_ before!" Rhiannon recognized that voice as Athena's

"Yes but you were knocked out by that potion, it's different." She now could distinguish Tristan.

"How!?"

"Will you both be quiet, that new nurse will hear us!" Seletha hissed.

"What's her name again? Diddy-"

"You can come out she finished her rounds ten minutes ago and I'm awake." Rhiannon said to the space where she heard the voices, hoping they were under Tristan's cloak and she had not gone insane.

"Thank the lord!" Seletha's voice whispered as she slipped out from underneath the cloak, "How are you feeling? Tristan nearly freaked when you fainted, he's such a girl!"

"Hey!" An indignant cry came from just behind Seletha as she sat down. Tristan and Athena appeared out of thin air before Tristan pulled up a chair and Athena perched herself on the bed.

"The best bit was when you coughed up some blood, he near fainted!" Athena added with a soft giggle, as Tristan just sighed testily.

"I did not." he replied tenaciously, "Any way you'd be a little concerned if someone started coughing blood while you were carrying them!"

"It was like a speckle!" Athena replied. Rhiannon suspected they'd been teasing him for a while; she laughed as Tristan continued to splutter.

"Thanks for helping me you guys it was sweet." She told her friends feeling grateful for them.

They'd only been friends for the year but they were true as could be. After the first day they'd found they had all lost friends over the holidays, they talked and joked and become close. As close if not closer then their old friends had been, and they were becoming closer. If Rhiannon could claim anyone as sisters Athena and Seletha would be it. Tristan, she mused, Tristan would be like Keith back home a kind of honourary brother role. She couldn't explain how they'd formed such a close bond over such a short time but it had happened, despite their different personalities.

The others waved away her thanks, they seemed to take it as their moral obligation to stand by her; she wasn't sure how she would ever repay them.

"You hungry?" Seletha asked picking up a light weight bag from the floor and joining Athena on the bed. "Because we are and we've brought supplies." She tossed the bag out onto the bed and food tumbled over the covers.

"I'm famished!" Rhiannon replied grabbing an apple and taking a bite. The others joined the midnight snack and filled Rhiannon in on all the happenings. She had fainted after the fight and Tristan had to carry her to the hospital wing where her arm was mended and her ribs healed, her ribs had caused her to cough up the blood, she'd remained unconscious till now.

Athena had been hit on an old scar, which had then opened; the potion used to mend it had knocked her out till 9 when Tristan had accidentally awoken her, to his ears misfortune. The headmasters had ruled that the boys live with their wounds and given the 2 months detention and denying them any privileges, it was rumoured that Gryffindor had wanted the punishments to be more severe.

"Well Ravenclaw believes that Gryffindor wants it to be more severe and to make a fuss for one main reason." Athena whispered with a conspiring gleam in her eye, "That he likes Hufflepuff and since Rhiannon's her prefect...well you get the idea."

"That's so cute." Rhiannon replied, "You know we keep thinking, that is the people in my house, that sometimes she fancies him. I think she's unsure how it would effect the school Slytherin would probably turn it into some big thing if they got together."

"True." Seletha added, nodding.

Tristan looked bored with the conversation. "They should get together and forget Slytherin's opinions, I mean if they love each other..."

"Aw. Never took Tris to be a romantic. Slytherin already thinks the others are against him over everything and are trying to work him out of the school that will just make his suspicions stronger." Seletha said. Suddenly they heard footsteps coming towards the ward.

Tristan, Athena and Seletha, clutching the now empty food bag, quickly ducked under the invisibility cloak, whispered goodbye and swept out of the ward before they were caught. Rhiannon snuggled back down under her blankets before she realized she still had the apple core. Placing it silently on the floor she pretended to be asleep. Whatever the new nurse thought about the pulled up chairs and the apple core that had suddenly appeared beside the sleeping girl's bed they never knew.

_**Dear journal,**_

**_Well today has been interesting. The 5th years were at it again today, the prefects nether-the-less, prefects fighting... Fighting in the hall should strip them of their duties but I'm proud of them...well certain ones._**

**_I should probably exaplain. The slytherin wizard prefects in 5th and 6th started a fight with Rhiannon and her friends them being:_**

_**Nott, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle vs Rhian, Trist, Thena and Sel.**_

_**Why?**_

_**Because Rhiannon, MY Rhiannon, is muggleborn. THE NERVE!**_

_**I swear a servering charm may accidentally slip from my wand and Salazar will be singing soprano, along with his rotten students! It is getting beyond a joke.**_

_**And it's been happening all term! Salazar's kids attack muggleborns and they defend themselves and the school becomes a battleground, Why was today interesting?**_

_**Godric caught them. I insert a wicked laugh in here.**_

_**As you know Godric is a little over zealous and loves to play hero, rescuing fair maidens with his golden heart (well I suppose his name is Gryffin d'or- gold griffin, and its kinda sweet....) eurgh did I just write that...anyway you can imagine how he reacted.**_

_**Godric was, to put it lightly, as mad as a hippogriff with a hernia, Salazar and Ro only just managed to stop him from hanging them by their thumbs in the dungeons; mind I think their punishment was much worse...needless to say those three can be very sadistic when I'm not there.**_

_**The annoying thing was Godric kept trying to get me involved because Rhian's my student, even though HE came up with the idea that house leaders weren't involved in punishments on those who attacked their students...stops bias...I don't understand why he cared THAT much. I asked Ro, she's always the bright one. She put on the superior look that she knows something and was plotting, must say I don't like that look at all and I'm now rather scared of their mental stability, all three of them.**_

_**On a brighter note we're going to have a Candlemass celebration with a bonfire an' all to celebrate the winter. Me and Ro are plannin' lights in the trees and Godric will organize the feast and Salazar said he'd come up with a surprise or two.**_

_**It's late and I have to get up early to check on the mandrakes, I think I'll go to bed, perhaps I can figure out Godric there...**_

**Aurgh thinking of Godric in bed, I guess I should add myself to that list of mentally unstable founders...**


	3. The Objects of Power

**CHAPTER 3**

The friends never found out exactly what privileges the Slytherins' had lost, but the corridor confrontations over Rhiannon's blood stopped after that fight. They still hurled insults and were as nasty as before, yet they never tried physical violence again. The four friends were relieved to be able to travel to class without trouble, yet Seletha, cynical as ever, feared some greater threat loomed.

The other girls and Tristan soon forgot their worries about the Slytherins as they began studying in earnest for their final exams, and in preparations for Rhiannon's birthday, which was on the 18th of Gort and Seletha's surprise birthday picnic on the 16th.

However Seletha's worries grew as time elapsed. The other older Slytherins were meeting secretly with Slytherin almost every week, from their looks it did not bode well. They would whisper and glare while looking smug and threatening.

One day as Seletha was looking through the "defense against the dark arts" section of the library; she overheard Jarred and Malfoy talking in hushed voices after one of their 'meetings'.

"Slytherin says it will only be a matter of time before the mudbloods and those mudblood lovers are crushed. I can't wait; I'd like to get Lupin." Jarred hissed with venom, Seletha froze to listen.

"Shh...do not talk about it till Slytherin says so, the centaurs still need to be talked around." Malfoy's urgent hiss came from the other side of the bookshelf.

Jarred let out a cruel snicker, "At least the goblins and those house elves didn't need much persuading, Slytherin basically has to hold them back. When are they setting out do you think?"

"Candlemass they will be out, the winter festival is a good time for the first strike."

Seletha, leaning against the bookshelf to listen, knocked a volume to the floor with a thud. She swore and hastily returned it to the shelf. Whatever else Malfoy had been going to say did not pass his now cautious lips.

"Lets go." Malfoy whispered, "Some one could hear us." Jarred grunted in agreement and the pair left the library without a backward glance.

Seletha knelt on the floor where the book had been, with warring feelings, fear of being discovered, anger and worry for Rhiannon, puzzlement over the exact topic of conversation, insatiable curiosity and a certainty that whatever the Slytherins were up to she had to discover before Candlemass.

Well you're not going to get anything done on the floor. Her inner Slytherin snapped. She slowly rose before she found the scroll she required for her homework and left. Battling her independent tendencies, which could not be fully wiped out from her hard upbringing, she went in search of the others.

Seletha found the others quite without difficulty, after inspecting the great hall she went outside to a beech tree that overlooked the lake and discovered the other three bent over a roll of parchment whispering. When she called them they sprang apart like startled rabbits, she wondered what they had been discussing; the parchment had conveniently left sight.

"What are you all doing?" she asked curiously, Rhiannon flushed slightly as she always did when put in an odd situation, Seletha's curiosity mounted.

"We were planning...um..." Athena looked at the others uncomfortably, "To...um..."

"We were planning a way to match up Hufflepuff and Gryffindor." Rhiannon said softly, "We were going to talk to our heads about the 'feelings', if there are any." The other three just stared at her and her tone became indignant "What!? If Helga has no interest then I'm a fox! And Gryffindor is plain obvious!"

"You know I can name three guys who _I_ know think you're a fox, if you get my drift." Athena teased.

"Shut up." Rhiannon replied gruffly turning a faint crimson.

"Lets see... Gareth, then Philip, and Britu in Ravenclaw." Athena recited. Rhiannon blushed a little more.

"But you forgot Lugaid in Hufflepuff and Forgall and Gradlon in my house." Tristan added wickedly. Rhiannon tackled him down the hill.

Seletha laughed and sat down next to Athena, watching the other two roll around in a mock brawl. Rhiannon defeated Tristan and climbed back up the hill to sit beside them, flushed.

"You know if we didn't know you two better it would look like you were _together_ or something." Seletha said, amused as she dodged Rhiannon's swing. She remembered why she'd come out and turned serious, "listen, I heard something in the library just now, Malfoy and Nott were talking and it does not sound good."

Seletha told them what she'd heard and they mused on it silently for a while.

"I remember the Boydens telling me that their family has been hearing rumors about an army forming near Neath, that could be them." Tristan broke the tense silence, "But we have no way of being sure till it surfaces."

"An army of centaurs, goblins and house elves." Rhiannon shivered, "That _can't_ be a good thing."

"Well Candlemass, it's a good deal away, I'm sure we can find out more if we keep our ears open, particularly Seletha." Athena said when Rhiannon's bag suddenly began to vibrate.

"What's that?" Seletha asked as Rhiannon pulled out a red leather bound book that was humming softly.

"An enchanted diary, so I can keep track of things, so people in my house can contact me and to use as an alarm." Rhiannon replied opening the book, "I have 5 minutes to get to the music room for practice. I'd better go." She snapped the book shut and stood. "I'll see you all later."

The other said goodbye as Rhiannon headed back to the castle. Seletha pulled out her Defense against the dark arts homework, Tristan fetched his broom a few meters away and began to fine tune it and Athena pulled a piece of parchment out from her book bag and began sketching. All of them continued to ponder the mystery of the slytherins for a good deal longer.

"Rhiannon! Tristan! Athena! Where are you?" Seletha called as she ran out to the Candlemass celebration by the forest before she spotted her three friends by the enchanted bonfire who stared at her dumbstruck, "I need to talk to you, now!" She grabbed the startled Athena's arm and began pulling, with little impact, towards the forest.

The trio eventually caught on and followed Seletha as she wound her way through the trees to a small secluded clearing where they looked at her with differing levels of irritation. What! She thought, Oh the Helga Godric match up...Eck...Well screw pre-amble, "I know what Slytherin's up to." She blurted, Ha! That got their attention.

"Slytherin got the centaurs 2 moons ago." Not the worst news she had to impart but it gained a gasp from Rhiannon. Seletha looked at her feet dreading her next news, "There's worse." she whispered changing her view to a small shrub on the edge of the clearing, "They've planned their first strike for tonight," oh she could hear Slytherin's mocking tone still, "They're in Wales," sadistic bastards, "They are after muggles as we thought," she had to pull her eyes up to Rhiannon's, her voice trembled, "They're going to attack Llanfair, n-no quarter. Nott's suggestion," oh she remembered Nott's face, that smirk wouldn't leave, "I'm sorry Rhi."

She watched Rhiannon's face go white in fright, "H-how did you find out?" Rhiannon asked, "Actually tell the founders they need to know." she looked resolute but Seletha could see the tears in her eyes, her respect for Rhiannon grew.

"Wait." Tristan said as they got up, "How are we going to get the founders together, without Slytherin. Somehow I don't think we can just walk up and pronounce Slytherin as a traitor."

"We pretend that we're setting up Godric and Helga, get them here, Seletha you'd best come with me somehow I think Rowena may need more persuading." Athena said, "Rhi you cool getting Helga here?" Rhiannon nodded, "Trist you with Godric." Tristan nodded as well. "Alright, let's go."

15 minutes saw the fifth years and the other three founders sitting in the clearing, Helga and Godric looking curious and sitting beside each other, Rowena looking irritated a little to the left of Helga and Seletha sitting directly in front of them as if on trial. The other two sat on either side of Rhiannon just of to the side. Rowena eventually got a little impatient with Seletha's silence, "If you have something important to say girl just say it."

Seletha looked into her eyes, "Slytherin is trying to kill you three, and all people of impure blood in Britain." She looked each of them in the eye till their incredulity merged into belief, "I'd best explain how we know this."

She straightened and began her explanation, "A week after mid-winter I was in the library when I heard Jarred Nott and Casius Malfoy talking about those meetings that Slytherin had, has, been having with the older slytherins. And yes I know they're supposedly study meetings," she replied to Godric's attempt of interruption, "but they've really been plotting an army, made up of house elves, centaurs and goblins. They were discussing how the centaurs needed persuading and how they were eager to attack the muggles and mudbloods. A few moons ago I heard Malfoy and Nott say how the centaurs had joined and they just needed to finish training, I wrote it in my diary," Seletha pulled out a black leather bound diary, "Problem was they spotted me listening and hexed me before wiping my memory, it was lucky I had it down, still they were too careful until tonight for me to gain any more information." She paused.

"I wish we could have told you but we had no proof and now its too late for their first target," she looked at Rhiannon sadly, "But now we have proof and we can save other's lives from ignorance. I snuck into the meeting this evening and recorded what was said into the diary, tap the 1st blank page with your wand and say parlé." She shared a small grin with Rhiannon at the founder's uncomprehending faces, "One of Rhiannon's useful charms."

Rhiannon opened the diary and muttered the incantation a started in shock as Slytherin's voice came out, "Tonight the first blow has been struck, rather is being struck." Cheers came through and Seletha grimaced at the memory, Slytherin's hideously evil grin and stamping of her housemates.

"The mudbloods and muggle sludge that have plagued this sacred, fair isle will know fear and inferiority. They shall learn their place under those of clean bloodline. We should thank Master Nott's suggestion, Llanfair as a double blow. To place fear into muggles and to teach that mudblood trollop Hufflepuff has the nerve to name a prefect, that she is nothing and that she should bow to her greaters. But my friends, this is only a start, the diversion, I would not waste my time totally on mudbloods and giftless people whom I will never meet," harsh laughter met this response, Seletha felt sick, "No I should clear those which I may be tainted through meeting, and those who have done me wrong. We will march forward but a token force, place fear into my other 'founders' while opening the school to be purged by our greater force. There will only be purebloods, and when my other colleges object, they will be killed along with any other muggle sympathizers like that blood traitor Seletha. We have the dark stones of Ündier naught can stop us."

The crowd jeered and Malfoy's voice rang over, "When will the school be purged?"

"Next Samhain, Hallows eve." The slytherins' cackles and jeers faded to the silence of the clearing.

Seletha opened her eyes to find Rowena hugging her, rather shocked she patted Rowena back and looked to see how the others were taking it; Tristan and Athena had enveloped a mildly distressed Rhiannon in a giant group hug, Godric was gritting his teeth but moving to comfort Helga who was moving from shades of white to grey to green and back again, only Godric eyes showed his hurt by his childhood play friend's treachery.

"Ummm...Professor Ravenclaw? I was wondering, what are the stones of Ündier?" Seletha asked, trying as always to sum up her opponents strength.

"They are stone's created to aid destruction, war, death, deception and empower the dark arts, if an army has them they are unstoppable without objects of as great or greater power." Godric answered, "Only problem is I don't know of any other 4 objects that contain that much power in a benevolent form."

Seletha winced, so we need to find an army, and four objects of power which we don't know any by next Samhain, why don't we just go to the underworld and come back while we're at it! Luckily she didn't say so out loud ass Rowena cut through.

"Druids believe in the 4 elements of earth, fire, wind and water and use circles to hold their magic power, perhaps an object of each of these elements would help counteract the stones?"

"Druid's used feathers, bells and wands for air; a chalice or shells or something to do with the moon for water; gemstones, plants for earth; embers, weapons, candles, staffs for fire; so my father used to tell me." Rhiannon's voice dropped off at her mention of her father, Seletha felt a stab of pity as well as a little envy, her father never told her anything. Probably a good thing too as it'd probably be something along the lines of pillage first then burn.

"My mother used to tell tales of a dagger with fire wreathing within its blade, dagger of the heart flame, and there was a silver chalice of the moon which could heal and forever carried water without spilling." Tristan offered, "Once upon a time they were brought together with 2 other objects to create a magic circle that was powerful enough to open a gate to the underworld, the guardian of the air object was pulled through along with the earth guardian, the other objects were hidden."

"The gem on Ea and Grynhall's, the gryffins' father's, feather" Rowena said, "They're the other two; I remember those stories."

"So we need to find them?" Seletha asked still a little confused, "And do this circle thing all before Samhain?"

"Seems like it." Godric replied, "But we can't leave without Slytherin realising something's up." Glancing at Helga and Rowena; Seletha rolled her eyes.

"Why don't we look for them?" Seletha suggested, "We can tell Slytherin we're doing field learning in traditional magic, herb lore and such, and we will travel around towns to question the town witches, as an extra herbology/medical course?" she looked at the founders questionably, well it was only half baked.

"That could work." Helga replied, "I will ask Salazar if he will relieve you for that time and mention what you are doing and who with. We'd best be getting back to the festivities or Salazar will get suspicious." Godric helped her up along with Rowena, always the gentleman.

"Professor Gryffindor?" Rhiannon called.

"Yes?" Gryffindor turned around; Rhiannon whispered something into his ear that caused him to blush before nodding and catching up to Helga who stood waiting at the edge of the clearing.

"What did you say?!" Seletha asked; she'd never seen Gryffindor blush before.

"I told him that Helga liked him and he just needs to kiss her." Rhiannon replied grinning, before turning somber, "I'd best write to my family, they could reply, or I could warn them in time." Tears brimmed again.

Slinging her arm around Rhiannon's shoulders as they walked back towards the castle, and the festivities in Athena and Tristan's case, Seletha felt great compassion for her friend, "I'll keep you company, we're going to have some work to do later."

_**Journal,**_

_**Finally my plans are in full motion, years of work, persuasion, threats; the first strike was this evening, a little muggle castle in Wales, the scum didn't know what hit them! Practically no resistance but one did escape, damn that old bard. How can one muggle handle THREE senior centaurs? I'm certain it was not a son he was saving, the escapee had blonde hair. It doesn't matter I made sure he regretted it by the end, a new version on crucio all of my own. Gryffindor would have liked him he did not cry aught except a whisper of Rhiannon as he died, he must have been the father of that mudblood trollop. Nott would have liked to get him, a personal vengeance. Our next attack will be on another welsh castle but this time we have some mudbloods to eradicate, but we'll leave one to fear the others, they're of Gryffindor stock so no great loss.**_

_**GRYFFINDOR! That meddling mudblood lover ruined my evening of success, of course! How many years have I yearned from a soft word from Helga so he does bend upon his knees simple state his 'feelings' for my Helga and gain her heart with that kiss, kisses as such should not be legal in public! Oh mine eyes that my love should been torn thus and the power of equality stripped for they shall now always vote against me in decisions! **_

**But I shall have her in the end, after all the filth is purged my master has told me so, I must pretend not long more. Seem the rose but be said python beneath and strike as the hands move to pluck it. I must be gone to 'congratulate' the couple, it makes me nauseous.**

_**Salazar Slytherin **_


End file.
